Air-brake



Patented Apr. ll, I899. C. F. BANE;

AIR BRAKE.

(Application filed Apr. 13, 1896.]

2 Sheets-Shaet I.

(No Model.)

No. 622,750. Patented Apr. ll, I899.

C. F. BANE.

AIR BRAKE.

lication filed A 1'. L3, 1896.)

(No Model) 2 Shuats-$heet 2.

NTTE STATES PATENT FFICEQ Al R BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,750, dated April11, 1899.

Application filed April 13, 1896- Serial No. 587,387. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CHARLES F. BANE, acitizen of the United States,residing at Lafayette, Tippecanoe county, and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brakes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in that type of air-brakesystems which employ a train-pipe extending beneath the train, in whichair is maintained at a predetermined pressure to automatically apply thebrakes by a reduction of train-pipe pressure and in which also asupplemental pipe or whistle or signal pipe extends continuously throughthe train, the pressure in which is controlled by angle-cocks at eachend of each car and engine.

My invention has for its object the provision of means whereby theangle-cocks at each end of each car or coach or engine of the train arelocked in an open position by the engineer in the cab, except theangle-cock on the tail end of the train, which is locked closed. Incarrying out this feature of invent-ion it is my purpose to locate thelocking devices for the angle-cocks in the signal or whistle pipe and toconnect the angle-cocks of the train brake-pipe with the angle-cocks ofthe whistle-pipe, whereby the two sets are adapted for operation inunison and in pairs by one manual movement, and to control the lockingdevices for each angle-cock throughout the train by an engineers cocklocated in the cab and interposed in the line of the whistle-pipe.

My invention has for a further object the provision of apparatus andarrangement thereof whereby the brakes are automatically set wheneverthe angle-cocks are closed, which arrangement may be used in conjunctionwith the signal-pipe of the passenger system or with a supplemental lineof pipe for freight service.

My invention has certain other objects in view; and it consists incertain features about to be described and pointed out in my claims,reference being now had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure1 is a diagrammatic view showing the continuous train brakepipe andwhistlepipe connected up with the air reservoir or drum on thelocomotive. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section of oneof the combined angle-cocks. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line y 1of Fig. 4, showing the locking mechanism locking the turning plug of theangle-cock in an open position. Fig. 4 is alike view showing the turningplug of the angle-cock locked in a closed position.

I will describe first that form of construction by which the angle-cocksat each end of each car may be locked by the engineer from a positionwithin the cab of the locomotive.

Provision has heretofore been made for closing the valves of theangle-cock of the automatic train brake-pipe in unison with the valvesof the angle-cocks of the signal or whistle pipe by providing a commonturning plug controlled manually by one lever, and so, also, the valvesof the angle-cocks of the automatic train brake-pipe have beenautomatically locked by the opening of the said angle-cock to admit thepressure of the train brake-pipe, the locking mechanism being locatedwithin or adjacent to the casing of the angle-cock controlling theautomatic brake-pipe pressure and operated by said pressure. It is myobject to control the locking mechanism whereby the angle-cocks are heldopen and closed by means of the pressure within or admitted to thesignal or whistle pipe, and thus avoid those disadvantages which I shallhere inafter set forth.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the drum or receiving-reservoir beneath thelocomotive is designated at 15, with which the signal -or whistle pipe16 and the train-pipe 17 of the automatic brake has communication in theusual manner, a reducing-valve 18, of ordinary construction, located inthe whistle or signal pipe 16, servingto reduce the pressure in the saidpipe below that normally maintained in the train-pipe 17. The train andwhistle pipes are extended along beneath the train in the usual manner,and the ordinary arrangement of auxiliary reservoir, brakecylinder, andcontrollin g-valves are employed.

In order to provide a lock for each of the angle-cocks at either end ofeach car, I provide the combined whistle-pipe angle-cock and train-pipeangle-cock, which I shall designate as the combined anglecock 19, con

sisting, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, of the com noon turning plug orvalve 20, having therein the valve ways or ports 21 and 22,respectively, for the train-pipe and the whistlepipe. This commonturning plug or valve 20 is mounted within a single casing 23, to whichthe whistle and train pipes are connected, and is manually operated byone handle 24 to open and close both the valve of the train-pipe andthat of the whistle by one and the same movement.

I will now describe the locking mechanism by which the angle-cocks ofboth the trainpipe and whistle-pipe are locked either in a closed oropen position.

The turning plug 20 is chambered at 25 to permit the reciprocativemovement therein of a locking-piston 26, having a locking pin or bolt27, adapted to engage a recess in the casing 21, said chamber 25 havingcommunication with the valveway 22 of the whistlepipe by means of theby-port or passage 29. A spring tends to maintain the piston 26 in theadvanced position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, the lockingmechanism being disengaged, but in a position to be engaged. I alsoprovide another recess 28 in the casing 23, in which the locking-pin 27is adapted to engage to lock the angle-cock in'a closed position.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be observed that I I provide awhistle-pipe-pressure-controlling cook 31 of ordinary constructioncapable of venting the pressure in the whistle-pipe and also ofadmitting the pressure thereto by opening communication with the drum15, which cock is operated by the engineer in his cab. I also provide anindicating-gage 32 for the whistle-pipe and a whistle 33. As thecar-inspector or trainman couples the hose between each car he thenopens the anglecocks of the train-pipe and. whistle simultaneously. l Vhen he has coupled all the hose and opened all the angle-cocks, hesignals the engineer to try the air and then signals from the tail endof the train by the whistle-pipe 7 pressure that all the couplings havebeen made and all the angle-cocks opened, the engineer in trying the airhaving admitted the pressure to the whistle-pipe 16 by opening the valveor cock 31 to the drum 15. If the car-inspector has failed to open allof the angle-cocks of the train-pipe, it will he impossible to give asignal, for if any of the trainpipe cocks or valves are closed thewhistlepipe cocks or valves are likewise closed, as when the engineeradmits pressure through the whistle-pipe 16 the air passes through thehy-port "or passage 29 into the chamber 25 and, acting upon thelocking-piston 26, forces the locking-pin 27 into the recess 28, thisrecess being coincident with the pin when the angle-cocks are open andmaintains the angle cocks or valves of the whistle-pipe and train-pipelocked in an open position during all the time that the pressure ismaintained. When the angle-cockat the tail end of the train is closed,the locking-pin 27 is coincident with the recess 28 and the air ispermitted ingress to'the chamber 25 by a passage 34, circumferentiallyarranged in the turning plug 20, one end of which opens into thewhistle-pipe on that side of the turning plug 20 in which the pressureis maintained and the other end opening into the va'lveway 22, the airpassing through this passage 34 into the valveway 22, from thencethrough the port 29 into the chamber 25, and forcing the locking-pin 27into the recess 28 to lock the angle-cock in its closed position."

When the engineer arrives at the end of the trip,he vents thewhistle-pipe by the engineers cook or valve 31,which, reducing thepressure in the whistle-pipe, also withdraws the pressure from thechamber 25 and permits the spring 30 to restore the piston 26. 1

It is evident that the locking mechanism lings are split and also tomaintain the trainpipe pressure, whereby the brakes may be applied whena car is separated from the locomotive. It will therefore be observedthat in my arrangement and combination of parts the angle-cocks arelocked by the engineer in the cab by the pressure within thewhistle-pipe, and thus the result is accomplished without anyinterference whatever with the train-pipe pressure.

\Vere locking mechanism employed oper ated by reducing or exhausting andcharging train-pipe pressure, it is evident that the act of reducing thetrainpipe pressure to disengage or release the locking mechanism wouldapply the brakes and also withdraw the trainpipe pressure, thuspreventin g an automatic application of the brakes on each car when itis detached from the locomotive.

Although throughout the foregoing description I have referred to thewhistle or signal pipe or whistle-pipe pressure, it is evident that thesame results are capable of accomplishment independent of thosefunctions incident to the apparatus for signaling. Thus a supplementalpipe may be used and having no signaling apparatus on the locomotive,but extending beneath the locomotive and cars in the same manner asdescribed. A mere supplemental pipe may be found preferable in freightservice, and when used should a freight-car be included in the line of apassenger-train it would be equipped with the whistle-pipe forsignaling.

Referring new again to the apparatus described in connection with thedrawings, I will proceed to describe the means by which the preventionof a back cushion of air in the rear of the piston 26 is accomplished,consisting in the provision of a venting channel or passage 35, whichextends through the bushing 36 about the turning plug 20, communicatingat one end with the chamber in the rear of said piston 26 and at theother end opening to the outer air just below the handle 24, as shown inFig. 2.

It may possibly occur, either accidentally or intentionally, that thehandle 24: may be but partially turned and the valves neither opened norclosed. In order to apprise the engineer of such a state of things, Iprovide means by which the air in the signal-pipe is exhausted into theopen air,thus either sounding the whistle 33 or indicating upon the gageIn accomplishing this result I provide a supplemental passage 37, Figs.3 and l, establishing communication between the recesses 28 and 28. Asindicated by the dotted lines in said figures, the passage 34establishes communication between the recess 28 and the piston-chamber25 through the byport 29. A venting-passage 35 also extends from therecess 28 to the open air. Should the valve be but partially turned, asshown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, it is evident that the air wouldpass through the signalpipe into the signal-pipe valve port or passage,through the by-port 29 into the piston-chamber 25, and from thence bythe piston 26 into the chamber in the rear thereof, and from thence tothe passage 37 to the passage 35 and venting into the open air to reducethe signalpipe pressure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an air-brake system, the combination with the air-receivingreservoir, braking ap paratus, train-pipe and supplemental or whistlepipe, of angle-cocks located at either end of each car or locomotivecommon to both the supplemental and train pipe, a common turning plugfor each angle-cock and a-lockingpiston operated by the pressure withinthe supplemental or whistle pipe together with a venting-passagecommunicating with the chamber in the rear of said locking-piston whichalso opens into the outer air.

2. In an air-brake system, the combination with the air-receivingreservoir, braking apparatus, train-pipe and supplemental or whistlepipe, of angle-cocks located at either end of each car or locomotive, acommon turning plug constructed and operated to close or open both thesupplemental or whistle pipe and the train-pipe simultaneously, lockingmechanism operated by the pressure Within the supplemental or whistlepipe adapted to hold the turning plug in locked position and anair-passage communicating with the signal-pipe when the angle-cock isclosed whereby the air is diverted about the turning plug of theangle-cock to act upon the locking-piston and lock the valve in a closedposition.

3. In an air-brake system, the combination with the air-receivingreservoir, braking apparatus, train and supplemental or whistle pipes,of angle-cocks which are located at either end of each car or locomotiveand provided with train and supplementalvalves connected with oneanother so as to simultaneously open and close the train andsupplemental pipes, and which are adapted to vent the supplemental pipewhen the valves are only partially opened or closed; and locking devicesrespectively associated with the angle-cocks and adapted to lock thesame in either an open or a closed position.

4. The combination with the locking-piston located in the turning plugof the angle-cock of a venting-passage communicating with the chamber inthe rear of said 1ocking-piston and also opening into the outer air.

5. The combination with the locking piston locatedin the turning plug ofan air-passage communicating With the signal-pipe when the angle-cock isclosed whereby the air is diverted about the turning plug of theanglecock to act upon the locking-piston and lock the valve in a closedposition.

6. Means for automatically indicating that the angle-cock is onlypartially opened or closed, comprising a valve having a lockingpiston-chamber which communicates with the air-supply pipe; and avalve-casing having a passage which communicates with the lockingpiston-chamber of the valve when the valve is only partially opened orclosed, and also having a supplemental passage or passages establishingcommunication between said last-mentioned passage and the open air. Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' CHARLES F. BANE. Witnesses:

CHAS. O. BULKLEY, L. M. BULKLEY.

